The present invention relates generally to cross-connect facilities including modular jacks and, more particularly, to a cross-connect facility suitable for multi-media applications (twisted pair-to-modular, fiber optic cable and coaxial cable) and compatible with the industry standard type 89B and 89D brackets.
Modular electrical connector products for the telecommunications industry, particularly plugs and jacks, have achieved wide acceptance. Plugs and jacks are generally intermatable because the inside dimensions of the jack and the outside dimensions of the plug are in accordance with U.S. Federal Government-mandated standards under Part 68 of the regulations of the Federal Communications Commission.
In one mounting system, a plurality of modular jacks are soldered to a printed circuit board (PCB) of appropriate size, and the PCB in turn includes appropriate connectors for cabling, these connectors being electrically connected to the jacks themselves by means of conductor traces on the PCB. Such PCBs with modular jacks attached may be mounted in various panel configurations, such as rack-mount panels where the printed circuit board is mounted to the panel by means of stand-off posts, such that the ends of the modular jacks are in alignment with apertures in the panel, and generally flush with the front face of the panel. The connections may include insulation displacement connectors (IDC connectors) which accommodate solid or stranded conductors providing a punch-down capability for cables.
In another mounting system, jacks are mounted to a panel such as a well-mounted face plate or to a panel secured to an underlying support by means of stand off posts. As is disclosed for example in Archer U.S. Pat. No. 5,125,852 entitled "Universal Electrical Connector Jack," to avoid the use of mounting hardware such as screws, snap-in jacks have been developed which snap into standardized cutouts in a face plate or panel. Such snap-in jacks are positively locked into place by means of post projections on a small cover plate associated with each individual jack, the post projections on the removable cover plate preventing movement of flexible members which implement the snap-in feature of the jack. The cover plate also enhances the cosmetic appearance of the assembly.
While the jack of Archer U.S. Pat. No. 5,125,852 is capable of accommodating a range of wallplate or panel thicknesses, nevertheless a standardized wallplate or panel thickness is 1/16 inch, and accordingly many many snap-in jacks are designed to accommodate a 1/16 panel thickness.
Such snap-in jacks on their rear side typically include insulation displacement connectors (IDC connectors) which accommodate solid or stranded conductors, providing a direct "punch-down" connection for all cables, with a stuffer cap for final termination and to mechanically secure the assembly.
An advantage of the use of snap-in jacks is that various other connectors and adapters, other than modular jacks, can be designed to snap-in to the same faceplate or panel openings, thus increasing the versatility of the resultant system. Such multi-application, multi-media adapters include ST couplers for fiber optic applications, and BNC couplers and F-type couplers for coaxial cable applications.
Relevant in the context of the present invention is what is known as a type 89D or a type 89B bracket, which is a telephone industry standard. An "89" bracket is designed to receive what is known in the telephone industry as a "66 type" block or set of insulation displacement cross-connect fields. The "66 Type" insulation displacement cross-connect blocks normally support fifty rows of IDC punch-down connectors, each row having a pair of two-connector sets, with the two connectors of each set being electrically connected whereby a convenient electrical connection may be made between two wires. The "66 type" insulation displacement cross-connect field blocks have a generally flat rear surface which contacts rectangular spacer posts which are part of the "type 89" bracket, such that a wire trough or guideway is defined between the rear surface of the "66 type" block and the rear of the "type 89" bracket itself. The "66 type" connection block traditionally has a 1/8 inch thick mounting flange, and the "type 89" bracket includes "snap-on retaining members" designed to secure the "66 type" connection block by this mounting flange. "89" Brackets and "66" type" are ubiquitous and nearly universally used in telephone equipment closets of all typing ranging from simple multi-line telephone systems in small offices to large private branch exchange (PBX) installations.
Also relevant in the context of the present invention is a cross-connect , available from Hubbell Premise Wiring, Inc., 14 Lord's Hill Road, Stoningt, Conn. The Hubbell cross-connect block mounted to a type 89D bracket, and provide a means for, for example, cross-connecting PBX systems and electronic key systems. Also, it may be employed for patch panel purposes.
The Hubbell cross-connect blocks typically include twelve modular jacks mounted to a printed circuit board, which also supports an appropriate number of IDC punch-down connectors electrically connected to appropriate pins on the modular jacks. While a convenient system for many applications, and advantageous in that a "89D" bracket is employed as the mounting base, nevertheless the Hubbell cross-connect block system is subject to a number of limitations. For example, the Hubbell cross-connect block system is limited to use with modular jacks, and thus does not support fiber optic and coaxial cable applications.